After the Game

[Thane Vlahovic]

Today was going to be a fabulous day because Thane Vlahovic was going to be singing at the Quidditch Stadium before the big game. Thane liked to sing from time to time, but he did prefer to play drums. He was going to be cheering for the Vratsa Vultures because he was a rather big fan of them. Thane Jaymes entered the stadium and started to ascend the stairs. As someone that was sort of famous singer, and a drummer at that, he managed to dodge some others from wanting his autograph. He wondered why the people that adored him so much were teenagers. It was not like his songs were rebellious even though his appearance was. Even his outfit now seemed a little on the rebellious side. His blue-green eyes closed as he entered the stadium where he was going to be singing, and he looked at the crowd. He bit his lip and he could not help but feel nervous, just has he had before many of his performances. Thane always had this feeling that he was not going to be able to make it through the song without having something go wrong, even if nothing ever did. Once he started, his voice flooded the stadium, the crowd cheered, and he never missed a line or a verse. Thane was nervous as a singer because that was what everyone really came for. He preferred to be the thunder behind hte lightning, but that hardly happened when he got to sing. It was hard to be a drummer and sing at the same time, because he got so into it, he would forget the lines of the song and whatnot. He had to remain focused, and though the song now was not his type to sing, he was not going to argue against those that were paying him to be here. Why would he? Thane finished with a final word out, "Good luck to you all!"

Though those words were only to the Vultures, but then when he took a seat, Thane was watching the team go against another from Bulgaria. He felt weird being here in this country, but then again he hoped that he would be able to talk to some of the members. He was a big fan of the game, and he watched it from where was seated, which was a rather good place. Was not the best, but he did not mind at all. The game began, and instantly Thane knew who was going to win. Thane never played Quidditch himself, but he loved to watch it. Thane watched the two teams battle like it was no tomorrow, and then he saw the golden snitch out of no where. He wanted to point and shout, but he clasped his hand over his mouth, as the other team seeker had seen it and dove after it. However his team did too. Smiling a little more. He hoped that his team would catch it, but then a bludger was almost hit into the stands, saved by a beater. 'Wow, this game is amazing,' thought Thane with a smile. And then the snitch was caught, his team that he was rooting for had won, and Thane got up and started to clap. His goal had been set, he was going to go talk to the team, well, one of the members. He thought that he had seen the one chaser before, over in Saint Mungo's when he had gone there to get his broken collar bone fixed but he sensed something different about this one. So, he hoped that she would not mind speaking to a fan and a singer at that. The worst she could do was say no. He descended down through the stands and he waited outside the hall before they would get dressed. Once he saw the chaser, the one with rubies for eyes, he approached her with a gentle smile, "Mind if we chat?" He was not about to chase after someone just for a talk. Thane was looking for a little bit of friendship, nothing more.​

 

[Miriah Vlahovic]

Miriah's body was sore and tired from the days events. Quidditch had always been rough on her body. Over time Miriah had hoped that it would get easier on her body. But it never seemed to do that very thing. The fact that she once had a baby didn't make it any easier on her either. She had been on maternity leave for close to a year while an alternate player filled in her position on the team. When she returned a year later to play again she was completely out of shape. The past couple of years had been spent by her trying to get back into shape. Which she never was in the first place so it was even more difficult now. Trying to get back into Quidditch was hard! Life itself was hard right now. There was so many things going on. Ophielle took up a lot of her time so she was starting to consider getting a desk job or something less tasking than Quidditch. It would be a lot less work for her and there would be more time to spend with her baby girl. Whom she missed so much when she was gone and traveling for games. Right now Ophielle was being watched by her grandmother, and Miriah's mother Venita. Miriah felt bad that she always made her mother babysit. Even if Venita and Nicolas seemed overjoyed to have her over. Venita didn't seem to mind at all though. Aiden played Quidditch too or he would have been babysitting the baby. Miriah wondered if Aiden would mind whether she stopped playing Quidditch or not. It was kind of their thing together so he might be upset that she decided to quit to get another job. He might not. It was hard to tell. He had yet to put a ring on any finger of hers so as far as she was concerned he didn't have the right to be too mad. It wasn't that Miriah was desperate to get married. She just felt sort of insecure with the fact that she was a mother, unmarried, and slandered by press often because of it.

Heading back to the locker room with her team, Miriah, was eager to finally get a break and relax for a bit. A nice steamy shower sounded heavenly to the brunette right now. Her body felt like it had been trampled by a herd of angry elephants or something. Hopefully she would be able to scrape up enough energy to stay up and tend to Ophielle tonight before she crashed. The last thing she wanted to do was let Aiden get crabby when he was tired and had to do it. Men were so predictable in that sense. They always got a little grouchy whenever they had to do much more than eat, sleep, drink, and fool around in bed. It would have been a lot funnier if Miriah wasn't so tired. Miriah started to peel her gloves off of her sweaty fingers when she heard someone speak to her. Turning around she glanced at the figure with her ruby red orbs. Someone out there actually wanted to talk to her about something? Miriah was honestly astonished. "Um...sure. I guess so." He had better not be a secret reporter wanting to ask questions about her personal life. It took a second but Miriah figured out that he was one of the band members that had played music here today. So he wasn't a reporter. "Was there something specific you wanted to talk about or....are you just looking for someone to entertain you for awhile?" Sometimes people just wanted to talk to another person in order to dull the boredom. Miriah once felt like that. But that was a long time ago. Back when she didn't have Aiden or her sister to keep her company.​

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[Thane Vlahovic]

Thane was very relieved and happy that he could have someone to talk right now with his favorite team. It was something that he preferred. She was a chaser, and a good one at that. He had read what some of the press have said about her, and knew that her name was Miriah. She was a mother and unwed. That is something that has been happening a lot recently. Thane did not mind because he loved children and had dreamed of having them. However ever since his girlfriend was killed, and she may have been pregnant, he did not bother and he worked on his dreams. What he was working on right now was his dream come true. He was a drummer, a singer, just a great musician now with a shop in New Zealand. Music was his life, but he could admire Quidditch too. What those people did and how much they took, it was something to be admired. Thane smiled at the Chaser before he extended his head, "Miriah, as I know from the team's line-up, I am Thane Vlahovic. I am a rather big fan of your team as a whole, and it is truly an honor to be able to talk to one of the members." Thane was talking sincerely, not meaning to really make a girl blush which he had been able to do before. Thane could flatter anyone, but he was not meaning to do that. He was just looking for a new friend, especially one on his favorite team. Thane had no reason to look for anything else. His music was his love. Thane would have joined a Quidditch team if he had not been any good at the music business, but everything is better. And now Thane was talking to a beautiful Chaser at that, and life could not be any better for the man that managed to make his dreams come true. He did not have anything specific that he wanted to talk about, but she would find that out soon enough. Thane was a friendly guy, and would have been in Ravenclaw or Gryffindor or Hufflepuff if he attended Hogwarts.

"No, I just wanted to make a new friend. Everyone needs a few of them, and you look around my age anyway. Want to come with me to get a small meal before you head home?" Thane barely waited for an answer, but he was already waving for Miriah to come and follow him. She seemed nice enough to not reject him at all. Thane was not asking for a date, but just a place that was just a few meters away, and it was not anyplace fancy. Thane had plenty of money on him, so he could definitely pay for her meal as well. Once they were in the small restaurant just outside the stadium, seated in a booth, Thane looked at her with his teal eyes, and he smiled in a friendly way, "I hope you don't find me with tattoos and everything repulsive. A classic rocker look. So, other than Quidditch, what do you like to do?" He could ask her where she had gone to school at, but he did not think that they went to the same school. Little did he know, she had. She was the quiet Durmstrang girl that was in the grade below him, picked on by some kid named Aiden. Thane was always the nice guy, the one that was always laughing and being an all around good guy. Thane was not too well known in the school. Thane, the more he looked at her, started to realize that she looked really familiar. He could not place from where though, and he wanted to figure it out. Thane dismissed it really as someone that he had seen many times on covers of magazines, and in games seeing as he had went to the Vultures' games, every chance he could get.​

 

[Miriah Vlahovic]

Miriah remained as quiet as a mouse while listening to the man tell her that he knew her name and that he was also a huge fan of her team. It felt weird having someone she hadn't gone to school with or grown up with know her name. It made her feel a little bit shy actually. Here she was, knowing nothing at all about this guy, but he knew her name and such. He even extended his hand for her to shake. For a moment Miriah just stared at it. She wasn't completely sure if she wanted to take it or not. In the end Miriah decided to shake it though because he was being polite to her right now. "Umm...nice to meet you Thane." Miriah replied softly her hand moving to shake with his before she detached the both of them and returned it to her side. Even if he was nice and polite, Miriah wondered if he knew anything else about her. Like how she had a baby. It actually didn't bother her much when people knew that she had a baby. Miriah loved Ophielle with all of her heart. Never had Miriah adored someone as much as she did her little girl. But what did bother her was the horrible comments they had about her and her baby. It kind of hurt to hear them sometimes. Especially since Ophielle did nothing to deserve this. It wasn't like she had chosen to be born out of wedlock. Or that her parents weren't married. Miriah wished she could say or do something about the situation because it wasn't her call to make. Miriah couldn't force Aiden into anything. Even if she wanted to. When two people cared about one another didn't they normally want to get married? Did Aiden care about her in that way. Miriah bit her lip and tried to focus. It was kind of silly for her to be focusing on how her boyfriend had yet to propose while she was meeting a fan. A part of her felt like she could start crying over it and another part of her told her that she needed to get over it. That she needed to be strong and wait for him like a real woman. 'If I was a more aggressive woman I would go to him and tell him my feelings and how I've wanted to get married. But I'm not. But can't he see the signs?' Miriah wondered as she brought herself from her thoughts and looked to Thane. Now she felt bad for spacing out on him.

"Oh uh....w-wait! Urgh I guess...." At first Miriah was going to say no because she needed to get home. But Thane didn't wait for an answer and already began to motion for her to follow. Which she did. It felt kind of weird doing this though because one, she barely knew the guy, two he was a fan, and three, she did have a boyfriend. One that hadn't been paying attention to her as much as she would've liked, but yes she had one all the same. They winded up at a small restaurant outside the stadium and Miriah took a seat across from Thane at a booth. The entire time she felt weird as hell for being here and well, actually talking to someone she barely knew. "No I don't mind. Tattoo's are cool and it's um...your body I guess?" Miriah shrugged her shoulders and looked at Thane softly. He seemed nice even though he had Tattoo's anyways. But she didn't mind. Tattoo's were pretty cool on some people. He happened to be one of those people that it looked pretty good on. Hell even she had one. Ignoring the fact that it was one she was required to have, but she still had one. So it wasn't like he was doing something bad. "I um..read and um....well to be honest that's about it. I'm frightfully boring. What about you?" Miriah did other things but since she barely knew him she wasn't sure if she should tell him. It would make it more fun for him to get to know her if hr bothered to keep talking to her. Miriah was boring so she wondered how long he would last before he got tired of talking to her.​

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[Thane Vlahovic]

Thane noticed that Miriah seemed a little withdrawn, or shy. Perhaps a little of both. He started to recall some of the Daily Prophets about this girl, and realized that they were always hammering her about having a baby out of marriage. A baby girl, wasn't it? Miriah was fit and she did not look like she had a baby at all. That meant that she probably had the man that was the father of the baby girl as a boyfriend. Thane thought that he was maybe being a little too forward, but a shy person was usually an interesting person indeed. He knew this because of how many shy people he had managed to talk to over the years. They were always interesting. Even her voice was soft. He simply smiled at Miriah in a kind manner before he vaguely wondered if her boyfriend was around to interrupt them. And if he was the jealous type. He had forgotten the name, if Daily Prophet had bothered looking into it. 'A girl this stunning would always have someone to care for her, just the way it is,' thought Thane, before he wondered why someone as good looking as him did not have a girl on his side. None of them caught his attention at all. If Rina had not had died, they would have either been married or separated, but he did not know that he would have been a father too. "Some people find them repulsive, so I had to know before I end up ordering something and we get into an awkward talk about ink and piercings." Thane looked completely at ease, and he looked through the menu. He had every intention on paying for it. Though if she offered, he would have to decline unless she proposed that there was a good reason. Such as, it would be similar to a lunch date, which normally meant nothing anyway in the standards of some women and men. Thane would not want anyone to get the wrong idea, but he was simply put, a kind gentleman when it came to people.

At least she did not mind that he was covered in tattoos, and thought about piercings but had yet to get any. Slowly he started to thumb through the menu, before a smile reached his teal eyes as he looked at her. She liked to read, but she thought of herself as frightfully boring. He doubted that she was that boring at all. She played Quidditch, on one of his favorite teams no less, how could she be frightfully boring? Thane chuckled, "Oh I doubt that you are that boring. Reading is good, so I assume you are an intelligent person. Let's see, I own a shop in new Zealand, Makutu Music and I basically perform for charities and Quidditch games whether I play drums or sing. Anything to help with the community and children." That made him sound like a total sweetheart in a way. Even if he sometimes did not even look it. He was a softy, but he never let anyone take advantage of him. He looked back down at the menu, and wondered if he could get more information from her. Perhaps her family, or something. He knew that she looked familiar outside of the games. Perhaps she just looked like someone he had seen in the mall on a few occasions. Thane said, "I could go on about music, but I don't want to keep you here all day and night, away from your little one. Oh and order anything you like, it's my treat." He waved for a waitress to come on over before he ordered a vanilla milkshake. He had gone to college and learned all he could about music, through the ages. Perhaps she did a lot better in Transfiguration than he did. He tried to transfigure a turtle into a rabbit, and turned the turtle into a lion, full size. He folded his hands together on the table before he inquired, "What school did you attend? I was in Durmstrang myself, even though I don't look it." Durmstrang was notorious for releasing Dark wizards and witches out into the world. Ever since watching his parents kill one another, he did not care for either side.​

 

[Miriah Vlahovic]

Miriah wondered if he found it strange at all that she wasn't talking to him much. Most people by this point grew annoyed and left. Not that she blamed for doing it either. Miriah knew for a fact that she could be rather difficult to deal with at times. Miriah had a tendency to clam up around people and what nothing to do with them. That was probably what was happening here. Oddly enough it seemed like it didn't phase this man a bit. Snorting softly Miriah shook her head. "Some people are just stupid. They need to learn to look past things like tattoo's and get to know the person underneath those." Miriah didn't want to say it, but she applied this to herself as well. People always judged her for having a baby out of wedlock and on top of that playing Quidditch so she wasn't home often to be with her child. It was ridiculous. What did those people know about her life? What did those people know about people who had tattoo's or piercings? What did anyone know about anything in this world? Life was too complicated to be wasted on things like this yet everyone wasted more than enough time on them. Miriah was included. This guy seemed pretty cheerful about things like this so she figured he wouldn't understand. He enjoyed life. He saw the good times as well as the bad times. While she, just saw the bad and the worse. "I meant that in the nicest way possible too." Miriah could sometimes come off strong with the way she said things as well. People like Aiden and Hadan were used to her manner of speaking but this man was not. So she figured he would either learn to catch on or he would have to be explained to. Miriah's eyes scanned the menu. She wasn't really that hungry. Even if she was though, she probably wouldn't feel like eating around a complete stranger. Miriah closed the menu and brushed it aside. This guy was nice but Miriah thought he was kind of strange. He barely knew her and he was offering to pay for her food? Miriah was having a hard time deciding when it was in her best interest to trust him or not. Especially since she knew so little about him other than the fact that he was in a band and he enjoyed Quidditch. Oh that and he seemed to be notoriously polite to people he had just met.

Miriah bit her lip. He was going so quickly. "I guess I am?" Miriah responded to his question of her being intelligent or not. Miriah thought she was but there were people that could disagree with her. "I pass by that shop sometimes. I've never been there before though. You sound one of those golden boys or something. You must like children or something then." Miriah fiddled with the fork lying on the table. Her eyes didn't drift up to meet with Thane's even once. Golden boy was her way of saying too nice to be seen with the likes of her. He was the overachiever that everyone loved because he could do no wrong. Of course Miriah knew that there could be more to him than she could see. But until she was able to see more, that was what she was left to assume with. At least he made it sound like he was good with children. Now that Miriah had a daughter she knew what it was like to always be worrying about a kid. It was hard work being a parent. Children weren't appreciated nearly as much as they should be. At least not in Miriah's opinion. Dropping the fork and letting her ruby red eyes fall onto Thane, Miriah blinked softly. "I used to attend Durmstrang. But then I transfered over to Hogwarts New Zealand to be close to my sister." Hm, so they might have gone to school together. Miriah didn't remember him at all so that was a little bit odd. Then again Miriah's nose was always stuck in a book back then. She didn't care about the other students as much as she did her studies. She seemed to be paying for it now. Maybe he had seen her? It seemed unlikely though. He looked older than she did.​

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[Thane Vlahovic]

Thane smiled at what she said, and then he could not help but to add on, "And they also need to get past other situations, such as we don't live in the stone age anymore. I've seen what those nasty reporters can do. I think that they are just two steps from mental retardation." Thane was obvious with the way that he was talking, he knew things from what they typed and printed, but women were having children even in school. If they wanted to have a field day, they ought to go to the muggle world where the teenagers were grandparents before they reached the age of thirty, in a manner of speaking of course. Thane wondered if the baby's dad was still around. It would be worse on her when the baby's daddy was not around. Thane looked down at his tattooed hands before he thought about having a kid of his own. He had always wanted one, but since Rina had died, Thane was just not into finding anyone. He wanted to focus on his music, and making multiple friends. Then maybe looking for his real family, if they were still alive. He didn't like the fact that he was alone in the world. Music helped, as did his aunt Astrid had helped him out a great deal. "Yeah, I kind of figured." Thane flashed a charming smile as he looked over the menu. He thought about getting a burger, but he didn't feel like eating if Miriah was not going to. He thought that would have been rude. He received his milkshake, but then he managed to get the same waitress over, and get some fries. He hoped that Miriah would at least take some of those. But he was not going to force anything on her that she wouldn't want to. She seemed to be out of the comfort zone right now just being with him. Thane was often like this with others, talking for the two people, and being exceedingly nice. He was not always the nicest person while in school though. He was nice then, but he got in trouble every now and then. He was not ashamed to admit that. He had fun sneaking out to play games with his friends.

Those were the best times of his life, back before adulthood, but also before following his dreams. He had gone to college, full time and without breaks, so he had graduated early. He could go back too, earn more degrees if he wanted to. It actually sounded like an excellent idea now that he thought of it. Thane chuckled lightly, before he said, "I can tell just by looking, and how proper you sound. It isn't a bad thing, it is quite admirable, in the most friendly way of course." One could not be judged on actions. Perhaps she wanted to have a baby, and it was her wise choice to have one, and she was obviously making enough to take care of the child. Thane had no idea what gender it was. "Golden boys? Haha! Not in school. Sure, I didn't tease or bully anyone, but I had a habit of sneaking out with some friends to go play games. I had a detention at least once a month." He paused for a moment to take a sip of his milkshake as the fries were set in front of them. "If you like music, stop by sometime. But you don't have to or anything. Though I love children. Always have, and all ages, from newborns to teenagers. I enjoy hanging out with them." Thane was not shy when it came down to saying that he liked kids. Even though it was sounding like he was some sort of creeper now that he thought about it. He didn't want to sound like that. He nodded when she said that she used to attend Durmstrang, but then transferred over to Hogwarts New Zealand. He liked New Zealand, and thought that the school had to be good with how many others were around. "Your sister? If only I had siblings. I bet it is real nice." He then stopped to think, before he asked, suddenly changing the subject, "Hang on a second, your boyfriend - if I am getting the right chaser here - won't mind you being here, will he? Cause I really don't want to start up something that could have been avoided. I may not see anything wrong with it, but well..."​

 

[Miriah Vlahovic]

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<COLOR color="black">Miriah glanced down at the floor and nodded somberly. He too seemed to understand the damage the reporters were able to do in those papers that they printed out by the millions. The scariest part for Miriah about all of this was having her daughter grow up and possibly think badly of her mother because of what they wrote about Miriah. Sighing she pushed some of her brown hair out of her face and had her eyes meet with Thane's. "What I don't understand is...how these people can think such horrible things about me when they barely know me. Or how they could say such horrible things about my daughter. She's only a baby! I don't get what is so wrong about me having a child. I'm twenty-two! I didn't plan on having a child but, I love my baby. I would do anything for her. I take care of her....what is there for them to talk about?" Miriah questioned. Her tone full of frustration and confusion. There was no answers it would appear and that it was what made it ten times as frustrating for Miriah to try and cope with. "The sad thing is, it isn't like there is much we can do about it either. I haven't picked up a copy of the Daily Prophet in years, but it's not like it's going to stop them from writing about me whenever they feel like I've done something wrong." Miriah carefully reached over and took one of the french fries that was brought over to the table and bit off one end of it. Miriah noticed that she had dug into Thane's food and apologetically set the french fry back down. She had gotten so riled up that she didn't realize what she was doing anymore. Now she felt bad that she had gotten into his food without asking. Miriah wiped the salt from her hands and folded them back into her lap. Her mind began to close up again. Shyness took over the position of the anger she had been feeling. When she got pumped up like that it was hard for her to pay attention to what was going on around her. Especially when she got mad. But once she realized what was going on she always receded back to the shy and quiet Miriah that everyone was used to. Well, everyone that didn't know her as well as her sister and her boyfriend knew her. Luckily Thane changed the topic. Now she had something to focus on rather than the press.

"So you were a troublemaker then?" Miriah asked, her lips curving into a small smile. That was certainly cute. "Maybe if I'm in town one day. I'll stop by and check it out. Oh you like kids? Do you have any yourself?" He seemed like the kind of guy that could someday have a lot of kids. Did he have any now though? He didn't look much younger than Miriah did, so perhaps he was a father himself. But that was good that he liked kids. Children were a blessing at times. Miriah shrugged about the siblings part. She loved her sister. They didn't always get along though. It was actually a challenge sometimes to agree with Hadan. Hadan was a Death Eater. Miriah didn't exactly agree with her sister doing those sort of things. Thane then asked about her boyfriend. "Oh...Aiden? I have no idea. But at the same time....I don't really care. You're not doing anything wrong. Besides, I'm already upset enough. He'd wouldn't dare think of starting anything." Miriah rolled her eyes softly. There was no reason for her boyfriend to get upset. She was only talking with the boy. Besides, Miriah felt that he didn't have much of a right to stop her from talking to anyone if he couldn't put a damn ring on her finger and marry her. Miriah didn't want to have to do it herself. But she wanted to be an official family, and she hated waited for things like this. Miriah was tired of waiting for him to pop the question. They had been together for years. How long did a girl have to wait?​

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[Thane Vlahovic]

Thane looked over at Miriah as he continued to eat some of his fries. He just wanted a snack, but he secretly hoped that Miriah would at least have some. They were just so tasty, and the way they make them here, all seasoned and stuff. Mmm, Thane loved it. He was sure that she would find them delicious too. He took another sip of his milkshake, the cold goodness that just washed over him. Oh he felt better now. The whole thing over the reporters was an issue that really got the shy girl talking. He smiled a little more, hearing her tone, which was understandable. He had a few things bad written about him too, but others knew, from how he was, that he was a good guy. Thane pointed out, "What they are basically doing, is nothing more than gossip itself. More than likely, they are stuck in the stone age where you had to be married and have kids. Things have certainly changed from the late nineteenth century. You are certainly old enough to have a child. I mean, it could be worse. You could still be in school, with no job and raising one on welfare. From the way I look at it, they are losing readers like that." Thane did not blame her for not picking up a copy of the Daily Prophet, not since what they had wrote about her. Words were just that, words. The only thing she could do was raise her kid up responsibly. And having a job was doing that. "What they write is what they write. Sure, can't stop it, but it is like having an enemy at school always talking about you behind your back. Just smile, and it will drive them nuts!" Thane had not even seen her take a fry from the little basket that they carried them out in, but he did see her put it back. Thane let out a soft chuckle before he said, "Go on and have some. They are tasty. It'd be rude of I kept them to myself."

When Miriah smiled, Thane smiled too, though it was more of a mischievous smile since they were talking about himself in school, being a trouble maker and all. He knew that he was, but it never stopped him from earning the titles that he had, especially since he was this guy that just enjoyed life, making the most of everything. It also hid the fact that he had seen his parents sort of turn and kill each other in front of him. He loved being a trouble maker, and he probably would love to sneak into places that were prohibited to this day. Thane nodded for an answer before he smirked slightly to add to his answer. He wouldn't mind seeing her again, she seemed like an interesting girl to him. Or young woman perhaps. "I'll hold you to that. I love kids, but I've never had them. Always wanted them, but well... Some things happened, and I can't see myself having kids at all anytime soon." When she shrugged about the siblings part, he started to wonder. Perhaps they weren't all close like he had dreamed of, but perhaps he will figure it out later on. He wanted siblings, but there was no way possible. Thane gave up on that dream long ago. However he still had his aunt. Thane nodded at the name, which now made sense. Aiden and Miriah were a couple, and more than likely the father of her baby. But when she said that she didn't really care, he noticed that there was something wrong there. Did they have a fight? And she was upset. Sounded like a real vixen, and knew that this Aiden guy was one lucky man. "You are upset...? Just saying that peaks my curiosity. Maybe I can help. Especially if there is something wrong with the guy. I know guy stuff, so maybe I can figure out what the issue is. But do tell me if I am being a little invasive. I definitely won't push you to talk about it." Thane didn't want to sound pushy or just creepy. Overall, he believed that he was put here to help. Miriah might be the next one he had to help too.​

 

[Miriah Vlahovic]

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<COLOR color="black">Miriah saw the point behind what Thane was saying. But just smiling and pretending like it didn't bother her was a lot harder than she wanted it to be. Especially when it concerned her daughter. Ophielle had little idea what was going on around her therefore Miriah thought it was wrong for the press to display such attitude towards a little girl. But then again, they didn't seem to care who they poked their noses in on. As long as they had their story, it was no big deal on their part. Miriah looked down at the table and avoided looking at Thane for a moment. She wondered if he ever read the stories about her and her precious baby girl before. She knew she would feel really embarrassed if he did. They were not true. But it was still annoying to have them read by people she knew. Sometimes those close to her even believed the stories. "You've uh, never read any of the stories about me before have you? It seems to me like the Quidditch players get slammed pretty hard by the press. I'm not sure why but, maybe it's because so many of us are still really young and easy to pick on?" Miriah knew it was more than just her that was mentioned in the tabloids often. On several occasions she read stories about some Quidditch player named Astoria. She was accused of all sorts of things. From being a sl*t all the way down to being a gold digger. She seemed to carry herself well but Miriah was pretty sure that she got lonely from time to time with so many people hating on her all of the time. Miriah nearly blushed. Boy she was hungry. But she felt weird about taking his food. "Are you sure? I feel bad just taking your food like that." Miriah admitted. Especially since this guy was practically a stranger to her. She felt just talking to him like she was. Since she was shy she wasn't sure if anything she said was really keeping his interest or if he was just being really nice. It was probably the latter.

Miriah frowned. So he wanted kids but things happened that prevented him from having them. That was almost kind of sad. Especially since he really liked kids. It was rare to see a guy really like kids. His misfortune was enough to make Miriah appreciate her little miracle. "I'm sorry to hear that. Maybe one day, you'll have some kids of your own. Someone like you, definitely seems to deserve them." Miriah thought he did anyways. She didn't see too many decent fathers hanging around these days. Aiden was a pretty good dad. Miriah was grateful for that. Especially since Ophielle could be a handful at times. She had her father's knack for finding trouble. Much to Miriah's dismay. She wished that Ophielle would be more like she was. The quiet type that liked to be read to rather than climb all over things and whatnot. Miriah looked at Thane for a moment before she snorted. So he actually cared about her problem's? This guy was most certainly something else. Well she might as well humor him right? "Aiden and I have been together awhile. Years actually We used to fight a lot but that was before we got together. Well since we have a baby and all, I've been hoping he would ask me to marry him. But, he hasn't asked me yet. I'm starting to think he never will either. I just....thought he loved me enough to take our relationship to the next level but I guess not." Miriah explained. She had to take a deep break to keep from crying. It upset her that Aiden wasn't even making hints. She didn't want to be too pushy, but she loved him and it made her nervous. What if he didn't feel the same. Was it so bad that she wanted to end the rumors and actually have a little family? Probably.​

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[Thane Vlahovic]

Thane figured that what he was saying, it would be a lot harder to just do. It would have been hard for him to do also. However this was not him, and he would do his best to help out with what he can. Thane hated the fact that they were accusing something so young and innocent, something as precious as a baby. It was not her fault that she was born of love, into a small family that wanted a child. The press were just bored. Perhaps they could not get laid themselves. Thane knew that he would be a lot less tense if he were getting some loving, but he was happy with just being himself right now, as his one true love was his drum set. Thane figured when the right girl came along, then he would know it, and he would love her the moment he saw her. Thane's fantasy was a little Disney, but he did not care either way. Thane just wanted to get to know people right now. Thane let out a sigh and he nodded, "I actually did, and stopped the moment they slandered your precious baby. I thought that was going beyond the deep end. Not that I believed a damn word that they said but they lost subscribers. Got all my friends to stop reading. Quidditch players are like models to the younger generation, and the press are jealous because everyone wants to be a Quidditch player, and no one wants to work for some quack behind the desk screaming for his deadlines. Sounds like a pain in the ass." Thane shrugged, and then realized that he had used some foul language in front of a lady. "I'm sorry for my crude language." Thane hoped that she did not pay much mind to that at all. He just got a little worked up by doing that. Thane laughed when she said that she felt bad for taking his food like that. Thane smiled charmingly, "Don't feel bad. I offer to share my fries with someone I look up to, as a Quidditch player. One of my favorite team's players is eating fries with me. I am honored, really. Have as many as you like!"

The professional drummer looked somewhat saddened when he thought about what happened to Rina. They wanted kids, marriage, but he wanted his music career too. That conflicted and everything blew up. To this day, he still felt responsible for her death. There was just so much Thane could do about it. "I believe that one day, I will find my true love other than my drum set. I think I would make a good father. My dad was a hero, my mom...well let's save the parents talk for another time." He was hinting that he would like to get to know her more, and make friends with that he had just said. He would love for that. He would feel so honored if he could be friends with someone like her. She seemed like an interesting person, if he could just get her talking a little more. Thane felt like he was doing a lot of the talking, but it was showing that she was actually listening to him. That was what he appreciated. He could talk forever, and as long as he had someone to listen to him, he could be happier than a fat kid with a cupcake. When she snorted, he raised an eyebrow. He was really wondering what was going on. Then the story came along, and how they used to fight, and then get together. They had a baby, and she had been putting signals out there (well he was assuming) and the boy was not listening to them. Either he was dense, or afraid of commitment. He was thinking of the latter. Thane let out a sigh, and he said, "Miriah, from what it sounds like, you guys have been together for a long time, and if he hasn't thought about marriage, then it may the last thing on his mind. He might be afraid of commitment. However that is just my thoughts on it. He still loves you, I am hoping, but he might not be the marrying type. I would put out an obvious signal, and if he doesn't take that then... Well that is your call."​

 

[Miriah Vlahovic]

Miriah slumped. So he had read the articles about her. That was a bit of a downer. How many other people had read it? Even if he didn’t believe it, it was hard to say that she felt comfortable with the fact that people were out there writing awful things about her. At least he didn’t believe them though. There were some people that honestly did believe whatever they read in the Prophet. It hurt Miriah to think that people would sink so low. ”It’s fine. Don’t worry. I use crude language all the time. But thank you. It means so much to me to have someone out there not believe what they say about me. That sounds about right though. I would never want to work as a journalist. Then again, I’m not even sure I like being a Quidditch player all the time either. It gets a little old sometimes.” Not to mention the times that she came home covered in blood or bruises due to the severity of the game. Plus Miriah always thought she would make a good writer. Or own a bookstore. Something much simpler than the life she was living now. But alas, she was afraid to mention it to Aiden in case he thought it was stupid. All she ever wanted to do was make him happy. Would he want her to keep playing Quidditch or would he be okay with her doing something much less tasking on her? Miriah could even be one of those moms that stayed at home with her children. The options were endless. Miriah just needed to decide what it was she was looking for when it came to her life. She did know that she wanted to get married and maybe have another kid or two. But the rest was blank. Perhaps someone out there had the answers she was seeking? ”Thanks. Because I’m starving!” Miriah admitted as she took another handful of friends and shoved them into her mouth. Miriah could eat probably twice as much as most men could. But she tried her best to hide that fact from others. It was kind of weird and even a little bit gross. Thane might get more than he bargained for when he decided to share his French fries with her. She would have to remember to save some for him instead of eating them all.


Miriah frowned and put the French Fry she was about to eat back down onto the plate. ”Are you sure you want to fall in love, dude? It kind of sucks. You should stick to that guitar. At least it won’t have the chance to break your heart or something. Plus it doesn’t snore and stuff.” Miriah shrugged. It was a sad fact to admit. In her opinion love was a real pain in the ass sometimes. Especially when one least expected it to become a problem. It seemed like Miriah was never able to predict when these troublesome times were going to come up. Just that they stunk every single time. Miriah could easily suggest to anyone who had a brain that love was not something everyone could jump into. Especially those who were weak hearted. ”I was worried you were going to say something like that. I guess I’ll bring it up a couple of times and see how he reacts to it. I don’t even care if it’s romantic or not. I just want a ring.” Wasn’t that endearing to him? That she wanted nothing more than to just be his girl? Miriah didn’t expect romantic things from him, she just wanted to know that he wanted to be with her in the future. Or maybe they weren’t meant to be. Miriah couldn’t pretend like she understood even the smallest bit of this. Like she mentioned to Thane earlier, love was nothing more than a huge pain in the ass. If only such a feeling didn’t exist. Miriah shoved another French fry into her mouth and sighed unhappily. Sometimes men weren’t the brightest creatures either. Miriah was tempted on asking Thane if she could help her talk to Aiden or something. He seemed like the kind of guy who knew what he was doing when it came to making a girl happy. Miriah would be anything that he would give the girl he loved a ring. ​

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[Thane Vlahovic]

Thane nodded, completely agreeing with Miriah Johnson with how things happened. Thane just did not say anything more on that subject due to the sensitivity that it gave him, so he looked at Miriah and he smiled, "I don't believe that I should use crude language in front of a lady. Feel free to use it in front of me all you want, though. I'm fine with it." Thane seemed perfectly relaxed, and he actually was. He looked around at the others in the restaurant, and he could see some people pointing and whispering. Were they recognizing him, or Miriah? Perhaps both? Whatever it was, it was just not really cool. He rolled his blue-green eyes, and landed them on Miriah. He was completely unaware that she had gone to school with his blood brother, and his older half-brother knew her sister. He didn't even know that he had brothers. Hell, he didn't even know that he was a part-Veela. He just knew that he was adopted but he considered his aunt his family, and that was all that he needed in the world. He once needed his girlfriend, but it had been years. He had nothing else to do except do what he loved. Thane smiled even more when Miriah decided to take more fries. That was what he was wanting her to do anyway. He liked it when a girl actually ate. And ate a lot, he found that sexy because most of the girls he had seen were always on diets, and they were just too skinny. He liked them with some meat, but not too much because that was unattractive too. However he preferred the personality over everything else. It was just him. That was the way he had always been. Miriah seemed like she was a nice girl, it was a real shame that she was seeing someone. He could not help but smile at her though. "You are very welcome, that's why I ordered a big thing of them so we can share." He took a few himself so that he could help her eat them. She just got done playing a Quidditch game, she needed some good food in her stomach.

The musician nodded before he admitted, "When I was in love, it was the best thing in the world. It was hard for her to accept that I would need to travel, to start my music career, but that might have been because she loved me that much. Then fate took her from me, and I've been on my own ever since. Love is something I miss, but... Listen to me ramble. Besides, I play the drums the most, that is my new love." He winked at her before he wondered, if the boy was the cause of her thinking that. Love was supposed to be cherished, loved, adored, everything that is good. Why would she think of anything different. Love was good, envied by many that did not have it. Thane wanted it, he craved it, but he was waiting for the one to arrive. Thane smiled somewhat but there was some sadness to his smile. He just thought that there was no one out there that should be afraid of commitment. "I would have given my girl a ring just at the mention of marriage, diamonds or a ring. Why he won't, I hope that he catches the hint. You seem like a wonderful girl. You deserve it." Thane looked at the fries before he pushed the little thing toward her, and handed some money on the table so that it covers the fries and shake that he had. He thought that it would be time to go home. He looked over at Miriah, and he wrote down a phone number he could be contacted on, and his home address. He then set it on the table in front of her, and he grinned, "I think it is about time I let you go home to your little one. There's my phone number and address. Do tell me how everything is going. I would love it if we kept in contact, and became friends. Take care of yourself, Miriah Johnson." He stood up, and he walked around to where she was sitting, before he bent down and gave her a friendly hug. Thane was affectionate. If he thought that she was single, she would have received a kiss on her forehead, but that was too much. He smiled, and waved to her as he departed. He hoped that he would befriend that ruby-eyed girl.​

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